Your Beauty Effulgent
by emo-geek-87
Summary: Puck/Kurt SLASH NC-17. When Drusilla waltzed into Lima she was looking for someone to replace her William. A shiny new boy the glowed. She found Puck. When she chose him she didn't see his stubborn will, the might with which he would fight for his soul.


**Title:** Your Beauty Effulgent by emo_chick_87  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 15,309 in Total  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Puck, Kurt, Sarah Puckerman, Norah Puckerman, Drusilla  
><strong>Pairing(s): <strong>Puck/Kurt, brief Puck/Drusilla  
><strong>Genre:<strong> Angst, Romance, Crossover (w/ BTVS, ATS)  
><strong>Rating:<strong> NC-17  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> violence, character death (pretty unavoidable when dealing with vamp fic), sex between the boys, brief descriptions of captivity/torture  
><strong>Summary:<strong> When Drusilla waltzed into Lima she was looking for someone to replace her William. A shiny new boy the glowed. She found Puck. When she chose him she didn't see his stubborn will, the might with which he would fight for his soul. And she certainly didn't see the boy made of sugar cane and power that danced in his heart. 

.

.

The acrid air prickled Drusilla nose. It was thick with the stench of hate, lust and the smallest dash of the fear that always accompanied small town living. The scent caused her vampire visage to slide across her face for the briefest of moments. She spent the last three weeks following the stars to the place Miss Edith had whispered about when she was sleeping. Whispered words that promised a new boy that she could call her own. The boy that would love her like her William once did. The boy that had a fierce heart. The boy she would fill with darkness and the boy that would give her his sunshine.

Her thoughts were pulled from her daydreams as a man struggled in her grasp. His struggles had dislodged her fangs from his neck and his hot gasping hit her cool skin. Her hand crept from where it was clamped on his shoulder to rest against the nape of his neck. She flicked her wrist and giggled as the bone gave way under her fingers. He fell limp against her before sliding to the ground at her feet. She swiped the back of her hand angrily across her lips as she cringed at the slick slide of the man's blood. It tasted like poison. Heavy with too much sugar and grease. It sat like a rock in her stomach and she felt her body reject him almost immediately. As quickly as she had taken him in, he was leaving her. His blood splashed against the pavement and stained his light brown hair.

As she walked away from him, she felt her skin bristle as her body tried to warn her about impending dawn. Hunger gnawed at her as she slipped into the house she has claimed for herself when she first came to Lima. It's Victorian shutters made it feel like home and the pungent smell of jasmine from the backyard had drawn her in. The smell of jasmine clung to Ms. Auger's neck and mixed with the clean taste of her blood. As she twirled freshly picked jasmine through her fingers, she tried to remember that the stars didn't lie. The stars told her to keep looking. The stars told her and she always listened to the stars.

.

.

Puck struggled with his heavy backpack. The weight held against his back reminded him of all the ways he'd changed in the past year. A half written English essay about _Pride and the Prejudice_ filled with big words and even bigger ideas that he actually understood made him think of all the ways he had started to believe in his worth.

Kurt's words echoed in his ears. The breathy invitation that sounded like everything Puck wanted but wasn't ready for. Framed within a night spent as friends that had the promise to be so much more. In an instant Puck had managed to turn that breathy voice into downcast eyes as he muttered something about fight club.

The empty house creaked in protest when he entered. A note was on the kitchen counter letting him know that he would be eating alone again. His backpack was thrown on the couch and Puck thought about finishing the essay that was due the following week. His fingers leafed through the typed words of love. Key phrases jumped out at him, pulling him in. His stomach rumbled in protest as the sunset without his hunger being sated. His eyes were frantically scanning the pages. He devoured every page like he was reading it for the first time. He didn't take his eyes from the book until his cell phone pinged in the thick silence of the house. Puck's neck cracked in protest as he rolled over to pull the phone out of his pocket. He smiled to himself as he noticed that it was Kurt sending him a text message.

_Finn just tried to eat his weight in spaghetti. Rachel stormed out. I wish you could have seen it. On the way to the movie. Have fun at fight club.-K_

Puck wrinkled his brow as his body ached to be there. He could practically see Finn's red cheeks, Rachel's disapproving look, Kurt's lips pursed as he tried to hold back a laugh. The mention of fight club made Puck heave himself off of the couch. Every inch of him wanted to stay home. Every piece of him wanted to get lost in the brisk notions of disapproving acquaintances turning into lovers. Getting lost in the wishful thinking of breathy whispers but he had told Kurt he was going to fight club. Of all the things he wanted to be to Kurt, a liar wasn't one of them.

Walking towards the abandoned warehouse, his shoulders felt heavier than they had just a few hours before. Desperation and anxious fear bounced off of his skin as he walked into the room. Angry boys acting like men filled the big space. He rolled his shoulders as the leader stepped forward to explain the rules.

Phil had been the leader of the club for longer than Puck had been a member. Puck had the sneaking suspicion that he'd been there long before Puck was even born. Every once in a while, Phil's eyes would rest on him for a second too long. I was almost like he was seeing the face of someone familiar. Someone that once meant something to someone.

The gaze was like a cloak against Puck's skin. It was the same heavy feeling that always came over him when his Ma would look at him straight on. He knew they were seeing the man he could barely remember. They were seeing the man he was desperate not to become. When they looked at him, they saw his father. The sly, sideways looks would drag him down like a noose around his neck.

In truth, that was why he first fell in love with Kurt. Kurt was the first person to look at him and see _him_. He didn't the awkward way he wore his father's nose or the way he fought with himself so his father's gait wouldn't be mirrored in every step. He didn't see the weight that bowed his back and hunched his shoulders. Kurt's shy looks out of the corner of his eye were always followed by a blush that would paint his cheeks and neck pink. Kurt's looks made him hope. Kurt's looks made him feel. Kurt's looks made him love.

Kurt was the kind of guy that wanted someone that would stay. He wanted romance and talk of forever and making love. The thing everyone failed to see was that was what Puck always wanted too. He wanted chlorine-flavored kisses after backyard picnics. He wanted a family and he wanted a home. But then it hit him. Like it always had to hit him. The darkness of the room filled his senses and he was reminded.

He wasn't meant for sunshine lives and picnics. He was meant for this. For the sickening crunch of bodies hitting the pavement. For the dull thud of fists on skin. For the stench of urine and sweat. For the blood that seared his skin as it broke. He was meant for quick and dirty first times in rusted cars. He was meant for the girls that would leave their marks on his skin. He was meant for the shame those marks would always bring. He was meant for a life in the darkness. He was never meant for a life with Kurt.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the lone woman of the group. Her long dress billowed behind her and he could swear he heard the soft lilt of her humming to herself. He got lost in the sight of her until the guy beside him nudged him into the ring. She was wispy in a way that usually turned him off. He liked the people he fucked to have full hips. He like the kind of hips that he could dig his hands into and leave his fingerprints on. She was dark and looked kind of emo. She looked like the kind of girl that might have daddy issues if she was few years younger. But what the hell, he'd never said no to a MILF before. He watched her as her hand grasped at the air. It's almost like she's trying to pick fruit off of an invisible tree.

As Puck laid eyes on his opponent his heart sank. Puck knew that he was in trouble when he the guy winked at him. As the heavy fist collided with his face, Puck couldn't help but thing he should have taken Kurt up his offer to join the latest glee club outing. As the thick knee of his opponent jabbed at his side, he can't help but think that pizza and a movie was a way better way to spend a Saturday night. He spit blood onto the concrete and laughed as the guy made a run for him.

He swung a hard right hook and caught his opponent in the jaw. He crumbled and Puck went in for the kill. He was half trying to impress the woman in black with long, blood red fingernails. The other half was fighting against the guilt that rested in his gut about wanting to impress a girl when he felt the things he feels for Kurt.

His body gave into the anger that rested in the pit of his stomach. The thick hate of not being enough made his strong, made him vicious.

He stood over the new guy, who was stupid enough to challenge him. The poor kid was unconscious at his feet. Puck's chest rose and fell with every breath. Each exhalation made fire course through his veins. Each breath burned through his lungs like he had no business taking them in. Their blood painted his skin and he felt the fight leave him. The new kid crawled out of the circle as applause erupted for the group. The kid looked like hamburger. Puck looked as his knuckles and cursed himself for what he had done.

He had stood breathlessly over his victim. Glorious. Victorious. The woman caught his eye from across the room and beckoned him over. When the girl in black motioned for him to follow her, he did. Not because he was mesmerized. Not because he even wanted her. He followed her because this is what he was worth. Blood on his skin and dark alleys. Girls that hid in that darkness and sex that was never love. Blood-red lipstick on his neck and never being kissed on the lips. He was his father's son and none of Kurt's soft looks or even softer smiles were ever going to change that.

He followed her into the darkness. He wished he knew then what he knows now. He wished he knew about piercing fangs and the bat-shit crazy chicks that sink them into the tender skin at the base of your neck. He wished he knew that deciding to follow her meant he was agreeing to become a member of the bloodline that started the Order of Aurelius. He wished he knew that the breathless pained gasps were going to be his last. He wished he knew that he was walking into that darkness human and leaving a vampire. He wished he knew that it was a darkness that he would never be able to leave.

But most of all, he wished he knew that he was never going to get to kiss Kurt in the sunlight.

.

.

Drusilla spent the night listening to the stars tell her all the secret the sun had let slip while she was sleeping. She was able to ignore her hunger until darkness settled in for the night and Miss Edith told her it was time to play.

The squeak of the swing set was what drew her to the playground. Salt and pain filled the air. The smell assaulted her before she even noticed the small girl on the swing. As she approached her, the girl didn't flinch. Her loud sniffles made Drusilla cringe.

"Miss Edith said I'd meet a nice new friend. Look at you, all marigolds and loneliness."

The girl sniffled again before looking up at Drusilla. She smiled slightly at the thought of not being alone anymore but bristled as Drusilla knelt at her feet and forced her to look her in the eye. The girl's eyes drooped as she was pulled into Drusilla's gaze.

"Daddy used to love the fear. Angelus said it smelled like spice. Said the best humans always dripped in fear. Your daddy likes the smell of fear too. I can tell. I can see in you." The little girl walked into Drusilla's arms. "You're all week-old flowers and sea salt. My daddy wouldn't have taken you like this. He would have made you scream."

Drusilla snaked her thin arms around the girl and pulled her in for a hug. She buried her face in the girl's neck. She felt her face shift and the girl's blonde hair tickled the ridges of her forehead. She pulled back slightly and whispered, "We're nothing like our daddies."

Her sharp fangs pierced the little girl's neck and she whimpered slightly as Drusilla drank. Her brow furrowed as she felt the girl's heartbeat slow beneath her lips. Her once warm skin grew cold and Drusilla felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes. She hadn't meant to take so much. She had meant to make a friend.

The girl fell limp and her blood raced through Drusilla. The innocence mixed with the tang of desperation lingered as she made her way out of the park. She spared a glance back to the girl lying in a crumpled heap and caught the sight of a boy jogging past the other side of the park.

His smell was intoxicating and propelled her across the grass. She'd followed his scent for almost a mile. He smelled like lust and burnt almonds. She almost lost him in the barrage of cheap perfume and sweat but his blood called to her. She felt the leers of undeserving men on her skin. She smirked as she heard the steady rush of blood through them. She fought the urge to pounce and was suddenly grateful that she had run into _Marigold_. Her hunger was sated enough to stand back and watch.

She watched from the distance as he fought. His long elegant limbs were skilled at exacting unspeakable pain. His olive skin was shining with sweat and blood. His wide back, marked with little white scars that spoke of a life like her William had once had. A life filled with differing kinds of pain. A life that was better left behind. She decided then that should he be victorious, she would make him hers.

When it was all over, she beckoned him to her. The dark corner hides them from the world. The sound of the night covered the pained gasp of her ripping into his throat and the gagging of him trying to stop himself from taking her blood. He fell against her as his body gave into the pain, into the finality of what was happening.

She carried him through the quiet streets toward his new home. She laid him in the bed she had claimed for them. She watched as he slept. She watched as he changed. She watched as he was born.

The stars had told her she would know when she saw him and she knew she'd found her daisy. Her daisy had been picked clean of almost all of his petals. Lost in too many _loves me not's_.

She drew him into the darkness. She stole his sunshine.

.

.

Puck had lived a lifetime of pain. He knew all about belts and backhands. He knew about welts and not being able to sit on the hard wooden chair of his desk. He knew about thin trails of blood staining his shirt as his healing skin gave way under one of Finn's lighthearted taps. Puck knew pain. He could always bear it silently. That's why the keening noise sounded so unfamiliar. At first he hadn't even realized that it was him.

He woke up alone in a dark bedroom. The smell of dying flowers overwhelmed him. The loud noise of the people outside made him feel like his head was splitting down the middle. A hunger he had never even known existed tore through him. He felt like his throat had been slit. Pain seared through his chest and he curled into a ball as he tried to breath through the pain. Tears streamed down his cheeks and an inhumane whimper broke out of his throat.

He rocked himself as the world assaulted him. Everything was too much, too loud, too _there_. He had learned to dull the edges of life but he couldn't do that now. Life was in Technicolor. Life hummed, vibrant and loud. His body screamed for something he couldn't put into words.

The bedroom door slammed open and the woman from the night before came breezing in. Puck felt himself buckle under the barrage of memories. He curled deeper into himself as he remembered the slide of her fangs in his neck and the metallic taste of her blood sliding down his throat. His keening mixed with a whimper.

His instincts pulled him up and he smelled a spicy scent that soothed him. It was one of the most pungent smells he'd ever smelled. It calmed the angry fire in his veins and stirred something deep within him. He pulled himself into a seated position and noticed for the first time that the woman wasn't alone.

A woman about the same age as his Ma was held tightly under her arm. She flicked the light brown hair off of her face and Puck felt his skin prickle. A deep growl settled in his throat. The smell was too familiar for his taste. He remembered scrubbing that smell off of his skin. She was the first person to turn _pool cleaning_ into a euphemism when he was fourteen. He still had the scar on his pelvis that she left with her long nails. His contempt mixed with something new inside him, something primal. He felt his face shift and smirked as the thick smell of fear intensified.

He stalked towards her as he ran his tongue over the sharp points of his incisors. Her skin gave way under his teeth just as easy as he had given into her all those years ago. Instinct took over and he tore into her throat. Her screams mixed with gleeful laughter. His body sang as he felt her heart stop against his lips.

The woman he would come to know as Drusilla pulled him into a deep kiss. The tension is his shoulders telegraphed his strength. Sixteen years of pain disappeared and he pulled back from the kiss in a howl.

He didn't think about the people that might miss him. He didn't think about his baby sister all alone with their mother. He didn't think about the sun or Kurt or a life full of fight clubs and rough sex. In that moment all he knew was strength. In that moment, she had given him freedom. Her slender hands framed his face and he did the only thing that his new instincts told him to do to show his gratitude.

He said goodbye to his old life and he knelt before his sire.

.

.

_Two Months Later_

As the first bell of senior year sounded above Kurt's head, he felt his shoulders tighten. His first class was English. He glanced down at the course outline and cringed when he saw yet another Jane Austen book scheduled for the first semester. Just like that it all came flooding back. He was assaulted with all the memories of all of the late nights of helping Puck through last year's assignment. The touches that lingered just long enough to mean something more. The looks that made Kurt dream.

As he walked into the room and felt his knees buckle under him as he saw the empty seat. He hadn't realized just how much he was expecting to see Puck sitting in the seat. Wearing a big shit-eating grin and regaling everyone with tales of his wild summer spent away. He had always _expected_ Puck to come home. He sat in the back of the room, just behind Puck's old seat and watched as it stayed empty.

Kurt's foot bounced anxiously, the heel of his boots screaming his tension to the room. Mercedes gave him a sympathetic look as she sat beside him and he felt his heart break with each passing minute. He spent the rest of the class fighting the tears that had been threatening to fall since all of this had begun.

The bell sounding above him made him jump. He cringed at the metallic taste that filed his mouth. He swiped the back of his hand over his sore lips as he heard Mercedes gasp beside him.

"Baby, what the hell happened? You split your lip."

He realized that he had been anxiously chewing his bottom lip and hadn't even noticed when his teeth ripped through the tender skin. Kurt pulled his bag up onto his shoulder with shaking hands and started to head towards the door.

The heavy wet air of fall hit him in the face as he pushed through the ominous double doors. The oppressive weight of the day came crashing down on top of him. He saw Puck in every inch of that school. He could practically still smell that heady scent that would trail behind him as he strolled through the halls. The intoxicating smell that Kurt hadn't even really noticed until it was gone.

There were way too many things he didn't notice until it was too late. Until the moment Puck was reduced to those harsh whispers. Until Puck became the kind of legend he always wanted to be. Before he became the baddest of badasses. Until people forgot that he used to sing with them, that he sometimes ran for touchdowns. Until almost everyone forgot the Puck that haunted Kurt. Kurt didn't understand how they weren't flooded with everything Puck was. How they weren't flooded with everything that was gone.

Puck was all over the school but Puck was the kind of gone that felt final. In that finality, most people found it easier to forget. Puck was the kind of gone that was forever and Kurt thought it might be that long before he'd able to forget.

In the end, he could only make to the end of the first class before he felt his body give out. The worried voices of his friends trailed behind him as he walked away. His feet propelled him forward, towards a familiar walk. As he got closer to his destination the sidewalk became uneven and thick lines cracked the pavement.

He sighed as he looked up at the living room window. A small anxious face lit up into a bright smile as she saw him at the edge of their driveway. She didn't leave her perch by the window until he made it to the front door. By the time he pushed into the entrance way she was waiting with her arms outstretched. He scooped her up and settled her onto his hip as she tucked herself under his arm.

"Hey, babygirl, we had a deal. No more waiting by the window. He wouldn't have wanted that." Kurt said in a tone he couldn't really place himself. It was almost like he was asking her to give up and he didn't feel right doing that.

"I know but... he was supposed to walk me to school... He _promised._:" Sarah's voice broke what was left of Kurt's resolve and he crushed her to his chest in a tight hug. He felt her tears against the thin cotton of his t-shirts. He let her cry as he walked down the hallway. He leaned into the doorway of Mrs. Puckerman's room and made sure she was sleeping. She had been on the night shift all week and the harsh affects of Puck being gone had started to show themselves more acutely.

He felt Sarah's sob calm and settled down on the couch to watch _Sponge Bob_. He got her to smile. He would anything to make her smile, even if it could only be for a few minutes. They stayed cuddled together on the lumpy couch until Kurt's stomach gave an embarrassing grumble. He pulled himself and went about making them both lunch.

The sizzle of the grilled cheese sandwiches barely hid the gasping, shuddered breath that forced itself past Kurt's throat. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the Formica counter top. As he looked down at his bloodless hands, he fought to keep it together. He wasn't sure why this was all so hard all of a sudden. He had fallen easily into the role that he'd made for himself.

Since Puck was gone, this had been his world. Half his life lived in the walls that held all the memories of Noah. Half a life living in a place that still had his smell. Learning to love Noah's mother and take care of his baby sister. Kurt had lived here, oddly comfortable being the one that helped hold it together until Noah came home.

The other half of his life was lying. It was keeping a brave face in place. It was pretending that Noah was just a friend. Pretending that he didn't spend the quiet hours at night thinking about all the things that went unsaid. Every moment that wasn't filled with the act of making up for everything was left unsaid was lost in the heavy silence of night. Lost in the quiet moments where his basement bedroom was the place he was alone. Lost in the moments where his loud breathing was only thing being drown out by the rushing of his heart and the racing of his mind. He spent half his summer making sure Noah's family was still intact when he came home.

He spent the other half of it refusing to let himself cry over the idea that he might never be back. Because Puck was always going to come back. He was going to tell Kurt he was a girl for worrying. He was going to hug his mom and blush as she cursed him in Hebrew. He was going to smile like he was grateful Kurt had been there even though he never would have expected it. He was going to tell Kurt that he didn't know why it took Puck leaving to make Kurt realize just where he always belonged. He was going to be there for his baby sister's first day of kindergarten. He was going to braid her hair for her and help her pick out her dress. He was going to walk her to school. He was going to make her kiss him goodbye even though she would be a little bit embarrassed about doing it.

In Kurt's dreams, that's what Puck was always going to do. Except that every single day that passed made realty creep in. For the first time, when he looked around he didn't see the home Puck would be coming back to. This time he saw Sarah's haphazard, lopsided braid. He saw the thick tears as she refused to let Kurt help her. He saw a mother that was grieving the loss of her son.

His hand shook as he walked back into the living room. A grape juice box was hanging limply at his side and the tremors in his hand making the plate bounce slightly in his grip. His shoulders sagged in relief when he saw Sarah had fallen asleep under Noah's Letterman jacket. Kurt set the lunch on the coffee table and staggered down the hallway. He trailed his hand along the wall and his fingers grazed the frames of all the Puckerman family pictures.

He came to a stop in front of the one room he had yet to let himself enter. The door seemed way too light and way too heavy all at the same time. Kurt walked into the room and was overtaken by how normal it all looked. The unmade bed, the guitar leaning against the window sill, the scattered sheet music. All of it screamed i_Noah_./i All of it screamed of someone that was expected to be home any minute.

Kurt's eyes travel over Puck's desk. Concert tickets, empty cups and notebooks overtake the entire surface. He noticed a thin stack of papers hanging precariously on the edge of the desk. Kurt knew what it was the minute he saw it. It was obviously a rough draft. Doodles almost overtook the margins but Kurt would recognize an English essay from a hundred feet. His fingers brushed the pages almost reverently. Noah's messy scrawl made Kurt's heart break as he read the first few lines.

_-Austen suggests that true love is a force separate from society and one that can conquer even the most __difficult of circumstances.-_

Kurt felt his heart plummet as he looked in the margins. Puck had scribbled a note. It was almost obscured by the messy way Puck wrote but it was there. Beside his opening line Puck had written, _Kurt?_. The weight of what that meant made Kurt's knees give out and he fell back onto Puck's bed. Puck had thought about him like that. Had maybe even considered trying to love Kurt. Puck might never have moved on the thought but just the fact that he had the thought made Kurt smile to himself.

But then he remembered all the time that had passed from the day Puck had written the hopeful _Kurt?_ in the margins. Remembered just how long it had been since Puck's scent hadn't been second-hand. He remembered and let himself do the one thing he hadn't been able to do. He remembered and he curled himself into a ball, hugging Puck's pillow to his chest.

For the first time in two months, one week, four days, thirteen hours, twenty-four minutes and six seconds, Kurt let himself grieve.

For the first time in two months, one week, four days, thirteen hours, twenty-four minutes and six seconds, Kurt let himself cry.

.

.

When he woke up seven hours later, Sarah was tucked under his arm. Her warm breath skated over his forearm and he felt her small back rising and falling against his chest. His head swam as he pulled himself into sitting position and cringed at the taste in his mouth. His stomach rolled as his head pounded.

He had always hated giving into the tears. Sure, a well-timed tear roll at the end of any emotional performance was magic if the emotion was genuine. But this kind of crying always left him feeling devastated. His bones rubbed against his skin in a way that was almost painful. His eyes burned against the harsh light coming from the hallway. He hated giving himself over to that kind emotion. He'd learned a long time ago how to shut off from that kind of pain. Losing Puck left him feeling more than a little broken. He hadn't felt this broken since his head was resting on his mother's still chest and begging her to breathe.

Sarah barely stirred as he eased himself out of bed. Her body rolled into the warm stop he had left and clutched the abandoned pillow tightly as her brow furrowed. It wasn't right that even in her sleep she was warding off the feeling of being left alone.

As he walked into the living room, he saw that Norah's shoes weren't by the front door. He cursed himself for not being there to help her with dinner. The smell of warm food floated in from the kitchen and made Kurt's stomach growl in protest. Hunger gnawed at him but he still couldn't bring himself to eat. He looked longingly at the front door and wondered if the cool night air would help make him feel more human.

The night was unseasonably cold. It made a shiver run up Kurt's back and he pulled his sleeves over his wrists. He looked into the dark night and felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The feeling was familiar. It sent warm shivers through him and reminded him of the feeling that would race through him during English class. It was the same feeling that he would always feel when he would turn around and catch Noah averting his glance.

Kurt gasped as he realized that was the only time he'd ever felt like that. He launched himself off of the porch, his eyes darting across the street to see if he could catch a glimpse of who was hiding in the darkness. Hope bubbled in his chest as he saw a dark figure emerge from the tree line of the houses next door. He would know that walk anywhere and it took everything he had not to throw himself at the person walking towards him. Noah's features were illuminated by the streetlight and Kurt shuddered in relief.

His elation was soon tempered by the anger radiating off of Puck and the menacing growl that seemed to come from his throat. Puck stalked towards him. Each one of Puck advancing steps inched Kurt further back. Kurt felt his shoulders collide with the side of the house. Words played across his tongue and it took everything he had not to let them go. Puck cocked his head to the side and smirked as he sniffed at the air beside Kurt's head.

"Hummel," Puck growled, "What the fuck are you doing in my house?"

Kurt shuddered at the primal tone of Puck's voice and blushed as blood coursed into his dick. The sound of Puck's voice, roughened by whatever he had been away doing all those months, made Kurt's hands surge forward to touch Puck's shoulders.

Before he knew what happened, Kurt's hands were pinned roughly on either side of his head. Puck's strong hands leaving Kurt's immobile. Kurt's chest heaved as Puck's grip tightened on his wrists.

"I was...I was... _waiting_ for you." Kurt whispered, his warm breath skating over Puck's cheek.

Puck leaned forward to nuzzle at Kurt's neck. Kurt felt the smallest shift against his jaw and the tiniest brush of teeth against his skin. Puck pushed his thigh between Kurt's legs and Kurt's head lolled to the side, exposing the pale expanse of his skin to Puck's hungry gaze. Puck felt the little control he had left snap.

As Puck slid his teeth into Kurt's neck, Kurt arched hard into the sensation. The sharp flash of pain was replaced by pleasure he'd never felt before. His moans intensified as he felt Puck slide deeper inside of him. Lights exploded behind his eyes and his body seized as his came. His fingers curled around the top of Puck's hand. His body ached to touch him in a more substantial way but Puck's grip remained too tight. So he let himself believe that his fingertips along the soft skin were enough.

Puck made soft keening noises as he continued to drink from Kurt. Kurt felt himself go limp and his eyes started to droop close. Tiny sparks of pleasure shot through him with every small draw of blood. His head dropped forward and he brushed a light, sleepy kiss on Puck's jaw. His lips lingering until Puck pulled away. Almost like he didn't want to accept the tender gesture.

Suddenly Kurt felt like he had been burned and all the pleasure disappeared. Puck wrenched himself away and stumbled back muttering to himself, _nonononononono_. Kurt watched in horror as Puck disappeared back into the tree line.

He pulled himself back into the house and limped into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror as he cataloged the damage. His hair was disheveled. His skin was sickly pale and his wrists were circled by the beginning of light blue bruises. He clicked his tongue at the growing wet stop on the front of his pants and cursed Puck as he rinsed them in the sink.

He didn't really notice the twin pin prick marks on his neck until he was running his hands over his face. He had been to busy just trying to process the fact that Puck was back. He hadn't even let himself think about Puck biting him. About Puck drinking his blood.

His fingers softly probed the marks, absentmindedly wondering if they would scar. He wasn't sure if it was the thought of Puck's mark being on him for life or the slide of his own fingers on his skin but Kurt felt himself buckle as he touched the mark. Blood surged to his cock and he rested his elbows on the bathroom counter. He let his thumb run over the raised bite. Each swipe made him gasp. He felt his belly quiver and his inner thigh twitch. Heat pooled at the base of his spine and he felt himself harden.

His fingers moved furiously over his neck. He gasped loudly and keened as he felt his orgasm rushing. In an instant he really felt everything. The elation of Puck being back. The thrill of his hands pressed by his head as Puck eyed him. The exquisite pain of Puck's sharp teeth piercing his skin. The incredible feeling of Puck drinking from him. The way the inside of Puck's bottom lip would brush against his neck with every pull. He felt it all and felt himself seize.

He came without touching his cock and crumpled to the floor in exhaustion. The weight of the night crashed down on him and he curled into a ball and started to sob. Puck was a vampire. He was dead. He fed from Kurt. He had touched Kurt in a way no one ever had before. Kurt fought to accept that this was his life now. But all of his efforts were lost in the way his body hummed. In the way that his heart ached to touch Puck again. Kurt let himself cry because he was just starting to realize what all of it meant.

His tears were tears of relief because Puck was back. In the morning he would have to pretend none of this happened. He would have to wake up and cover the marks Puck left on him. He would have to tell Sarah that he was waiting for Puck too. He would have to watch Norah mourn her son. He would have to pretend that his neck wasn't throbbing. He would have to pretend but that was all okay.

Because right here, right now, Puck was back.

.

.

Kurt didn't see Puck again for almost two weeks. The bruises on his wrists had faded and the marks on his neck were almost invisible. Every day that passed made the details of that night hazy. Kurt felt himself questioning everything that had happened. Grief began to settle over him again.

Kurt would watch as Sarah flourished in her new class. He would watch as Norah began to pick up the pieces. He would watch as the world moved on. He knew Puck was still in the world. He couldn't move on.

He tried to convince himself that he hadn't seen Puck because he knew had been staying at his house. Norah moving to day shift meant he didn't have to stay with Sarah at night. He thought that he would welcome the quiet. He thought he would rest easy knowing that someone else was watching out for Sarah. But he missed listening to her soft snores from his place on the couch. He missed her crawling under his blanket after she had a nightmare. He missed making breakfast and braiding her hair. He missed being needed. He missed feeling that loved.

His dad would fix him with a concerned look and he would smile. Kurt had learned along time ago that a smile can go a long way. Tight-lipped, pained smiles were all he was able to give before he's found glee and Noah and the Puckerman's. It was well practiced but it still felt like a lie. Each time he resolved to stop lying. He resolved to tell his father that he loved a boy. He resolved to tell his father that the boy he loved was gone. He resolved to tell the truth. Instead, he traded in brittle smiles and a broken heart.

Norah had been called in to cover a shift and Kurt had jumped at the chance to spend the night with his favorite girl. They stayed up way past her bedtime eating popcorn and watching _Peter Pan_. It made Kurt think of eternal youth and love. It made him think of Puck.

Sarah fell asleep on the couch and suddenly the silence was too much for Kurt. He walked out onto the porch and started into the darkness. He listened to the sounds of the night. The cars taking slow corners down the block and the television playing softly in the house.

The air danced across his skin and sent a shiver through him. Kurt smirked to himself.

"I know you're there. I can feel you..." Kurt whispered. The end of his sentence was halted by the sight of Puck walking stiffly up the three small stairs. He sent Kurt a sideways look before sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I know you can, Kurt. I can feel you too." Puck whispered."It a side effect of me biting you like that."

"It's like that every time you feed?"

"No. I didn't feed from you." Kurt frowned at Puck's words. "That's not what that was... I _claimed_ you. That's why you jizzed in your pants. You gave yourself to me."

"You claimed me?" Kurt blushed. Puck answered with a shrug. They sat in the shared silence for a long time.

"Puck, when did...when did it happen?" Kurt asked, timidly.

"After fight club."

"And you are a …?" Kurt trailed off.

"Yeah."

"Why have you been gone so long?"

"Dru didn't want me to hunt alone at first. Then I just didn't know how to come back. Dru said I wasn't supposed to think about my life when I was human. But I had to check on Sarah and you were here. Why are you here?" Puck asked.

"Someone needed to take care of them after you left. Finn tried for a little while but being in this house without hurt him too much."

"And it didn't hurt you?" Puck hated how his voice sounded.

"Of course it did. How dare you even ask me that? But someone needed to make sure they were okay until you came home." Kurt whispered.

"Yeah but why you?" Puck knew he was being petulant but he needed to know.

"Hummel men look after the people we love." Kurt said, defiantly.

"And you love me?" Puck scoffed.

"Yes. I do."

Puck felt himself deflate when he heard the words. A part of him had always hoped that Kurt would lower himself enough to love him but he didn't think he would ever hear the words. Before Dru turned him he was learning to live with loving someone from afar. It broke his heart that Kurt was doing the same thing.

"Kurt, I am a vampire. Why aren't you scared of me? Why aren't you horrified? "

"_True__ love is a force separate from society and one that can conquer even the most difficult of circumstances,_ right? Noah, I lived two months thinking you were gone. I can live with you being a vampire. I couldn't live with knowing you weren't in the world anymore." Kurt said..

Puck shot out of his chair and started to pace along the grass. He felt his vamp face threaten the break free and he shook his head harshly.

"You can't, Kurt. I've killed people."

"Noah, we shouldn't be having this conversation like this." Kurt gestured to their surroundings

"Fine, then. We'll talk about it inside."

Puck made his way to the front door and Kurt stepped in front of him and placed his hand on the middle of his chest.

"We can't go in there." Kurt looked over his shoulder to make sure Sarah was still sleeping peacefully.

"You actually think I'd fucking hurt her?" Puck raged.

"Of course not, Noah. I'm assuming that most of the vampire lore is correct. No sunlight, no reflection, stake to the heart will kill you, yes?"

Puck nodded.

"Well, then am I safe to assume you need an invitation to enter a human's home?"

Puck nodded again.

"Noah, I can't invite you in. This isn't my house."

Puck's shoulders slumped as he stepped away from the door. He knew that Kurt was right. He didn't have the right to invite a vampire into another person's home and he couldn't let Sarah find out about him that way. He really couldn't afford to let Sarah find out at all. His heart broke at the realization that he was never going to hold his baby sister again.

Suddenly, going back to the house on 21 Jackson Street was the last thing he wanted to do. If he had his way he would never go back. He could live in the darkness. He could learn to live on pig's blood. He'd heard Drusilla talk about two other vampires that did just that. He could be Kurt's little secret until it was time to turn him. He could do all those things. The problem was his sire wouldn't let him go that easily and Puck felt like an asshole assuming that Kurt would even settle for that.

Puck walked back to the grass and stared longingly at his old home and chuckled bitterly to himself. He was too human to fit with Dru and he was too much demon to fit with Kurt. He moved to lie down on the grass and looked at the stars for the first time in years. He'd been so consumed by the darkness he hadn't even bothered to look for some light. Kurt gave him a shy smile and then came to lie beside him.

"Kurt, will you lie here with until sunrise?"

Kurt laced their fingers together and nodded. They spent the night laying there. Sometimes Puck would talk about the two months when he was gone and sometimes Kurt would talk about Sarah and Norah and glee. Sometimes they would lay in silence and Puck would listen to the staccato of Kurt's heart.

Puck waited until the last moment before leaving. The thin pink ray of sun left their mark on his neck but he fought to stay with Kurt. He hugged Kurt close to him and let himself revel in the intoxicating smell of Kurt's arousal. He pulled back and pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's lips.

"Good Morning, Kurt." Puck said softly before leaning down to taste Kurt again.

"_Mmmmmm,_ Noah..." Kurt said as he stretched awake.

Kurt pulled himself up and frowned. Noah was gone. Kurt had never wished for the dark cover of night more. The dew from the grass clung to his hair as he readied himself to face another day. As he made Sarah her eggs, his touched his mouth softly.

His lips tingled. Almost as if they were remembering something he didn't know. He was pulled from his thoughts when Norah came into the kitchen. Her face had the same pinched smile Kurt would always give his dad. Kurt's stomach dropped and he braced himself.

Kurt braided Sarah's hair as Norah told him they were leaving. A promotion. More money. A new start in a new city. A fresh start. A house that wasn't filled with memories. A promise to keep in touch.

Kurt decided to make waffles for breakfast instead. They all ate together in silence and tried to convince each other that it didn't feel like goodbye.

.

.

In his heart, Kurt knew it was foolish to expect to be a permanent fixture in Puck's family's lives. He was a constant reminder of the person that wouldn't be coming home. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before they didn't need him. He was just happy he was able to help.

He spent most of the day sleepwalking through each of his classes. Kurt saw the concerned expressions of his glee mates and he longed for the night. Each day slipped by too slowly and he didn't even have the promise of Puck coming to see him. Kurt was done spending the night at the Puckerman house. He wondered if Puck would even try to look for him.

Kurt bypassed the kitchen, heading straight his room. He decided that he needed a spa night in. He was determined not to turn into one of those people that wallowed. He was allowed to be upset. He was allowed to sad but he would not let himself become maudlin.

Kurt watched as the steam from the running water rose to the ceiling and the rushing sound drown out his racing thoughts. He undressed and looked at himself in the full length mirror on the door. He usually didn't like to look at himself naked. It made him uncomfortable to really examine his own body. He had spent years wishing for darker skin, a broader frame, a smaller nose. He spent years wishing he was different.

Looking at himself, he found it hard to see what he had to offer Puck. Before Puck was turned, he might have settled. Kurt might have been enough before. But now, Puck was a badass vampire. He had strength, speed, power. Plus he was still everything amazing he was before. Kurt couldn't stop thinking about the woman that must have turned Puck. She had to be gorgeous. Contrary to popular belief, not just any woman could lure Puck in. The way Puck had talked about her the night before, she seemed like a goddess. She was Master Vampire. She commanded minions. Kurt thought his lanky frame could never measure up to that.

The hot water of the bath uncoiled the knot that was resting between Kurt's shoulders. The sound of soft music filtered through the dimly lit room. The scent and slide of the bath oil he had added swirled around him and pulled him deeper. He drifted to sleep with his head resting on the edge of the bathtub. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks as dreams took him.

_The room was dark and filled with the scent of sex. Kurt looked down at Puck and smirked as he rode him. Puck's hard cock rushing up to match each of Kurt's downward thrusts. The thick corded muscles of Puck's neck strained as their rhythm sped up. Each thrust was more vicious. They were claiming each other with every push and pull. _

_Puck's chest glistened with sweat and he was mumbling curses under his breath. Their bodies collided hard as each thrust sent them both closer to the edge. Kurt felt his body take over completely. He thrust wildly as he looked down to see where their bodies met. He stared transfixed as his body opened to take Puck deeper each time. _

_Kurt's back bowed as he painted Noah's chest with his come. His body was wracked in shudders. His opening quivering as Puck continued to pound into him. Just as he started to worry his body wouldn't be able to take anymore, Puck exploded with a growl. Emptying himself deep inside of Kurt before plunging his teeth deep into the well-used claimant's mark on Kurt's neck._

_Kurt felt himself seize a second time and he fought to stay awake. As he surrendered to the pull of sleep he felt a second wave of Puck's come flood him. He loved that the taste of his blood would always make Puck come. He smiled to himself as Puck folded him into his arms._

Kurt jerked awake and blushed as he saw that his cock was hard. He looked around the room anxiously before settling back against the edge of the bathtub and running his fingers over his thighs. His right hand wrapped around the base of his cock as his left went to his neck.

His fingers found the mark Puck had left there easier than he would like to admit. He stroked his dick as he rubbed along the edge of his neck. Just touching the small white marks was enough to push Kurt so close to the edge that all it took as a few pumps before he came. He blushed at how quick he had come.

As he dried off, he glanced at himself in the mirror again. His dick was still half-hard and he was flushed from the heat of the water and the rush of his orgasm. His wet hair clung to his forehead and dripped down over his jaw. He smiled shyly to himself before admitting that maybe he had something to offer Puck after all.

.

.

Kurt was wrapped in his favorite fluffy white robe and towel drying his hair as he walked out of the bathroom. He was just about to start his post-bath moisturizing routine when he heard a quiet knock on his bedroom window. He reached up and unlocked the latch.

"Come in, Noah." He said while heading back over to the vanity table.

"Why aren't you at my place?"

"Noah, Sarah and your mom are getting ready to move to Columbus. Your mom got a promotion. They leave to look at new places to live on Friday morning." Kurt gave Puck a sympathetic look before he moved to sit on the bed. Puck's face remained eerily calm.

"How long is it going to be before you leave Lima too?"

"Noah, I'm not going anywhere."

"That's bullshit, Kurt. It's just a matter of time before Broadway calls, right?" Puck sneered

"No. Not anymore." Kurt said, softly.

"Why not?"

Kurt hesitated for a minute. Almost like he was trying to decide if he was ready to say it out loud yet. He swallowed loudly. "Now I have a reason to stay."

Puck stopped pacing and stared hard at Kurt. He stomped over to Kurt's closet and started grabbing handfuls of clothes. He started cramming them into a few Prada travel bags. Kurt ran over to him and pulled on his arms.

"Puck, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind? This is your response to me saying I want to be with you?" Kurt asked, frantically.

"No, Kurt. If I'm the only reason you're staying, you can leave right now. I'm sure you could go with my Ma to Columbus. You can start fresh there too."

Kurt brought his hand down across Puck's cheek. The loud sound reverberated through the basement and Kurt was happy that the house was empty. Puck's head snapped back and Kurt went rigid when he saw Puck's face. Kurt was pretty sure that was the shift he had felt right before Puck had bitten him.

Puck's face had changed. His brows shifted into deep ridges, his incisors became more pronounced and his eye shone a golden yellow color. Puck seemed to sense the shift in Kurt's mood and his nose crinkled as he smelled Kurt's fear. Kurt's wide eyes made Puck realize why he was so scared. He raised his hand to his face and felt the face he promised he'd never let Kurt see. He quickly shifted back and put his hands up in a non-threatening gesture.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry." Puck scrambled.

Kurt put his hand up to silence Puck. "Can I see it again?" Puck hesitated. "Please?"

Puck bit his lip before letting his demon come forward again. He averted his gaze as he felt Kurt's eyes on him.

"Noah... it's... you're... I've never... you're...you're..." Kurt's trailed off as he reached up to trace the ridges of Puck's forehead. His thumb ran across Puck's bottom lip and caught on one of his sharp canines, drawing the tiniest drop of blood. Puck's tongue caught the small drop and tasted the pad of Kurt's thumb as well. Kurt gasped as Puck caught his eye.

"Noah, you're so _beautiful_." Kurt said in a breathy whisper.

Puck grabbed the hand that hovered by his mouth and pulled Kurt towards him. He pressed a fierce kiss onto Kurt's lips. He kissed him hard, pulling Kurt's bottom lip into his mouth. Kurt matched him. Throwing his hands around Puck's neck and pulling Puck's hard body against his. Puck's tongue pushed past Kurt's soft mouth to taste the slight mint of his toothpaste.

Kurt's body radiated warmth and the fear that was so present just a few minutes before was overtaken by the heady scent of Kurt's arousal. Kurt's breathing turned frantic and his hands flailed as he tried to pull Puck in even further. Kurt's bottom lip brushed against one of Puck's fangs and sliced open. He pulled back and gasped.

They locked eyes and Puck waited for Kurt to make the first move. Kurt's hand slowly left Puck's shoulder and settled on the belt of his robe. He faltered for just a second before pulled the end free and let the robe part. Puck pushed the fabric off of Kurt's shoulders and it fall to the floor at his feet. He pulled back slightly and watched as Kurt's chest rose with every breath. Kurt's chest flushed under the scrutiny and it worked its way up Kurt's neck. The flush made his mark even more obvious on Kurt's neck. His hand rose to trace the two small pinpricks.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I should have asked you first." Puck whispered. Kurt just shook his head and rested his cheek on the top of Puck's hand.

Puck's hands started to sweep along the planes of Kurt's body. His large, cool hands searing Kurt's skin. Kurt was happy that he had never been touched like this before because each cool touch made him shiver in such a delicious way that he didn't want to think about what this would feel like with someone that was warmer. It was like his body was humming just for Puck and he couldn't help the shy rush that flooded him as Puck's fingers trailed along the inside of his thighs.

When Puck's fingers ran across his hole, he buckled forward and grabbed Puck's biceps. He nodded frantically as one of Puck's fingers breached him for the first time. His forehead collided with Puck's collarbone and he wanted something he wasn't entirely sure how to ask for.

Puck pulled away and led him towards the bed. He pulled open the side drawer and grabbed the lube that was hidden under the year-old issues of Vogue and smirked when Kurt turned his head away in embarrassment. He ran his hand over the swell of Kurt's ass before leaning over to whisper in his ear.

"Have you used this to finger yourself?"

Kurt's silence was all the answered he needed.

"Show me."

Kurt gave Puck a shocked look. He held Puck's insistent gaze and he arranged the pillows into a pile. He knelt on the bed and reached for the lube dangling in Puck's hands. He coated two fingers with lube and used the other hand to brace himself on the pillows. He reached his hand around his back and teased his opening with his slick fingers. His body arched back as he slipped his fingers into his ass. Kurt felt his body give into the intrusion and soon he rocked back onto his own fingers. Puck's growl spurred him and soon he was whimpering with each thrust. It was too much and not enough all at once.

Puck seemed to sense the moment he was ready for more. He pulled his shirt over his head and smirked at the added whimper that broke from Kurt's mouth. He pulled his jeans off and hissed as the cool air hit the tip of his cock. He moved behind Kurt and slide along the crease of Kurt's ass. Kurt's fingers didn't stop their movement so his fingers would brush his balls and the underside of his dick with every thrust.

Kurt was about to add a third finger when Puck stilled his movements. Puck pulled Kurt's fingers out of the way and lined the head of his cock up with Kurt's entrance. Kurt's ass grasped Puck's pulsing head and Kurt tried to pull him in. Kurt raised himself up until he felt his back brush Puck's cool chest. Puck wrapped his arm around his waist and slide forward slightly. Kurt's body fought against the intrusion but Kurt pushed himself down farther on Puck's hard cock until Puck was fully seated inside of him.

Puck felt Kurt's body twitch and give around him. Kurt took a deep breath and nodded that he was ready. Puck pulled back slightly before pushing back in and Kurt convulsed in spasms. He fell forward and begged Puck to keep going.

Each thrust pulled Puck in deeper. Each whimper made Puck fuck harder. His hands left fingerprints on Kurt's hip and Kurt matched every thrust. Kurt's heat scorched him. His grasping heat made Puck's eyes cross and he felt Kurt start to quiver around him. He wasn't ready for this to be over yet so he pulled out of Kurt before Kurt gave into his orgasm.

Puck watched as Kurt's opening fluttered and he thrust three fingers into Kurt to feel the grasping. His fingers kept a steady pace.

"Kurt, I wanna see you. Fuck, I wanna claim you." Puck growled.

Kurt scrambled over the pillows and flipped over onto his back. His hand reached down to stroke himself a few times before Puck was over him again. Puck pushed himself past Kurt's entrance again. Kurt arched up into the touch. They rutted against each other as the room was taken over by their grunts. Kurt felt a tiny bead of sweat fall across his jaw as he pushed himself up on his elbows. His hand reached up to run over Puck's collarbone. He gave Puck questioning look.

"You gonna claim me? Do I get to claim you too?"

Puck nodded frantically and sucked in an unnecessary breath as Kurt pressed a kiss to the point where his shoulder met his neck. Kurt sank his teeth into Puck's skin and Puck felt his demon cry out. He hadn't realized how much his demon needed to be claimed. It was then that he realized how much Drusilla had fucked up. He wasn't supposed to feel as lost as he had. He wasn't supposed to feel like he didn't fit in the world. For two months, he felt the demon rejecting his humanity. Now, he felt the demon reconcile with what was left of his soul. Kurt's teeth in his neck, Kurt making Puck his made the fighting stop and now it didn't feel like a battle was raging inside of him anymore.

Pure pleasure flooded Puck and he roared as he came. Kurt pulled back with blood on his mouth and Puck surged forward to pull him into a deep kiss.

The first time Puck slid his sharp canines into his throat all he knew was blinding pain. The lightheaded blackness started to take him. The thin tips of teeth in his neck weren't as deep as they could be. Puck pulled back and stared at Kurt.

"Are you sure? If I do this right, it's forever." Puck whispered.

Kurt just nodded and watched as Puck ran his shiny tongue over one of his own sharp teeth. Kurt heard the grunt and saw the blood that spilled out of the wound Puck had just created. The slide of Puck's teeth was slow this time, like Puck was waiting for Kurt to push him away. Kurt just curled his fingers around Puck's bicep and groan. For the first time Kurt could really feel Puck drawing the blood out of him. The inside of Puck's lips grazed his skin will every pull and pleasure rocketed down Kurt's spine.

He could feel their blood mixing for a brief second before Puck bit harder. Going deeper that he ever had before. Kurt fell over the edge of the pleasure he had been teetering on. As he spiraled towards the blackness, he knew that Puck just _really_ claimed him. When he woke up curled on Puck's still chest and with Puck's possessive arm wrapped around his shoulder, he thought he kinda liked that idea.

.

.

Kurt woke up to the feeling of soft kisses being pressed against the mark on his neck. He shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to the side of Puck's head.

" _Mmmmm_, Good Morning."

"Kurt, it's almost sunrise. I have to go."

Kurt frowned and nodded as he bent over the bed to grab his robe. He walked Puck to the door with their fingers laced together and leaned up to kiss him goodbye. Their tongues slid against each others as Kurt tried to make the darkness stay a little bit longer so Puck could stay too. Puck pulled away and headed for the door. His hand was on the doorknob but he hesitated, turning around to look at Kurt for a minute.

"Before I go, can you... _please_?" Puck gestured to his neck. To the faint marks Kurt had left there the night before. Puck hated that his claim was already healing. Kurt nodded and pressed a kiss on the edge of the mark. The ferocious bite that followed shocked them both and made Puck's knees buckle.

"_Ohmygod...babybabybaby..._" Puck started to mumble softly to himself as his demon was sated for the second time. He rolled his forehead against Kurt's in a display of gratitude and pressed a soft kiss on the bridge of Kurt's nose.

Puck turned to leave and was halted by Kurt's soft hand on his back.

"Noah... I love you, you know that right?"

"I love you, too." Puck said, softly.

He kissed Kurt a final time and headed out the door. He felt Kurt's eyes in him as he walked away. He turned the corner and moved to rest his hand on the bite Kurt had just made. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes as he felt the edges close and start to heal. He knew it would be completely gone by the time he got back to 21 Jackson Street. Kurt's scent still lingers heavily on his skin and he braced himself for the reaction another person's scent would elicit from Dru.

The house was darkened by the black curtains he had put up so they could walk around the house during the day. The next door neighbor pulled the curtains closed as he walked by. In the long walks he'd taken in the past few days, Puck couldn't help but wonder what his un-life as a vampire would be like if he was turned correctly. Drusilla was a nice enough sire. She didn't force herself on him, didn't beat the fuck out of him or force him to kill little kids so he mostly learned just to accept that this was his life. But even he could tell that Dru wasn't exactly playing with a full deck.

Puck had spent most of his first month as a vampire listening to Drusilla ramble about the "family". He'd heard about all the torture her own sire had put her through and the horrible tales about what they used to be together. They were called the Scourge of Europe for a reason. But through all these tales he started to hear the things she wasn't really saying. Like about something called the Hellmouth. Like about how her William and her Daddy had been taken by the bad side and made to drink from swine. In her ramblings, she was talking about another way.

He knew that he was wrong. He was different. He wasn't supposed to have nightmares about the people he had killed. Just like he wasn't supposed to remember their names. Just like he was supposed to revel in the chaos, in the destruction, in the torture. Drusilla would mutter about the sparks that stayed. Puck knew she had gotten it wrong. Gotten him wrong. He ran his fingers through the jasmine by the door and braced himself for what was waiting for him.

The house was silent and clothing was strewn around the living room. Puck went about cleaning up. He started walking around the room, draping the clothes over his arm and singing softly to himself. He wasn't paying attention. A strong hand collided with his back and sent him flying into the wall across the room. The plaster splinters under the force and Puck was slow getting to his feet.

"Little Lamb is all over you. Left his paw prints all over. Miss Edith says the stars are screaming."

"Geez Dru, calm down. I only saw Kurt because I was checking on Sarah and he was there." Puck exhaled as she withdraw and seemed to calm down. She started singing _Mary Had A Little Lamb_ as she danced out of the room.

Puck started to clean up the drywall that lay broken on the ground and cursed himself for one millionth time for following that crazy bitch into the dark room in the first place.

.

.

Puck and Kurt had spent the next three nights together. Alternating between making love in Kurt's bedroom and laying out on the front lawn looking at the stars. Each morning they would kiss goodbye and Puck would have to deal with Drusilla brief bouts of jealous rage.

Tonight would be the first time that Puck wouldn't be seeing Kurt. His family was leaving the next morning so he knew he had to see them one last time. Kurt understood and promised he would still be there tomorrow night.

Kurt sat in his room with his leg bouncing anxiously. Without Puck coming over, he was at a loss of what to do. He glanced at the clock and noticed that it was already nine-thirty. He figured there was no better way to kill an evening that with some junk food and a _Sons of Anarchy_ marathon. The store by this house was only about two blocks away. He figured the cool night air was a good way to clear his head.

On the short walk, his thoughts turned to Noah. Being in Noah's life meant something. It meant he could actually have a forever with someone. The thought was exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Kurt cut through the thin back alley. He was almost at the end of the alley when he was grabbed from behind and pulled into the dark corner of the alley. His senses sparked wildly. The smell of the piss and old garbage filled his nostrils. The person holding him was wearing wool and it left light scratches on his sensitive skin.

Kurt felt his head collide with the brick wall behind him and strong arms cradling him as he surrendered to the blackness. His vision swam with the red as he was pressed against her chest. She smelled like dead flowers. It was the same smell that would linger on Puck's skin when he would first come into the house. It was the smell that Puck spent the entire night trying to replace. It was Drusilla. His last thought before he fell into unconsciousness was that he was well and truly fucked.

.

.

Puck watched his family from across the street. He saw his Ma's frantic pacing and Sarah's little giggle as she watched her antics. He remembered all the years he's spent watching the same thing. He watched as Sarah packed her room and prepared to leave the only place she's ever called home.

His Ma was just as beautiful and just as messy as he remembered her. Her hair was frizzy and Puck could see the extra little bit of gray that streaked its way through her dark hair. Her dark eyes looked tired and he was happy they were both getting a fresh start. He bristled as his Ma's hand shot out the front door to grab the mail. She could recognize his messy scrawl and he knew he had to make sure she read the letter.

He made his way across the street and crouched under the kitchen window.

"Mama, what is it?" Sarah asked.

"It's a letter. Noah wrote us a letter." Norah's voice broke

_Hey Ma,_

_Sorry it's taken me this long to write. I know you must be pissed that I bailed like I did. I know you always thought I'd end up like dad. Mostly you're right. I got a regular gig playing lead guitar for this guy up in Maine. It's not much but it's my shot, Ma. I had to take it. _

_I took a bus out and took a chance. Dad never got farther than Columbus. I swear I'll make it way farther. I make leaving worth it. Tell Sarah I'm sorry I had to bail like that. It was kinda a dick move but I just couldn't say goodbye. _

_Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I'm safe and alive and that I love you. _

_I'll write again soon. _

_Love _

_Noah_

Puck smiled to himself as he heard his mom giggle at his letter. He knew that they would be okay with him being gone now. He could live with them hating him a little bit for being too much like his old man. He could live with them thinking he was a loser with a dream. It was way better than the alternative. It was better than the truth.

.

.

Kurt came to with his arms raised and his wrists tied above his head. His toes just barely brushed the concrete floor and his torso sagged under the weight of gravity. His arms tingled from the lack of blood and Kurt tugged on his bindings.

His head throbbed as he tilted his head up to see how he was bound. A thick piece of rope wound around his wrists and were attached to the s-hook hanging from the ceiling. The room was dark but the musty smell and rough concrete on his feet made him think he was in a basement. The thick smell of flowers made the air almost claustrophobic and Kurt swallowed roughly as his stomach threatened to rebel.

The air was cold on his skin and he felt the uncomfortable feeling of goose bumps overtake his body as he shivered. He looked down to see that his shirt had been torn from his body. Even in his current situation, he still felt self-conscious about being so exposed.

Kurt pulled on his bindings as heard a slightest give in the wood. He smiled to himself as he gave another hard pull. This time he felt the rope on his wrists bite even deeper into his skin and thin rivulets of blood trailed down the inside of his forearm. Kurt felt his shoulders stretch to alleviate the tension, forcing him even further onto his tiptoes. He squinted into the darkness to try and see what he could make out.

He saw that the basement was pretty bare. Nothing that he could really use as a weapon. His eyes drift to the small end table by his side. He saw the makeshift collection of tools and other sharp objects. He kicked his feet toward the table and tried to upend the table. Each swing of his leg put his full weight onto his arms and tears sprang to his eyes and his wrists began to bleed even more.

He heard the soft steps of someone descending the stairs. Her lilting voice followed her down the stairs.

_Run and Catch, Run and Catch, The Lamb is Caught In The Black Berry Patch_

Kurt saw the beautiful woman appear at the bottom of the steps. Her long dark hair obscuring half of her face. She moved with a grace that would have been elegant if Kurt hadn't been so terrified. Her body moved like she was dancing to a song only she could hear. She stopped suddenly as she scented the blood in the air. She trailed her long fingernails across his stomach and up to his bicep.

"Someone's been struggling. You've gone and gotten yourself all dirty." She leaned forward and licked a stripe up the inside of his forearm. Humming as the taste of his blood exploded on her tongue.

"_Mmmmm_, you taste like cherries and sunshine. No wonder my Noah craves you. You taste divine."

Kurt whimpered at the feeling of her rough tongue on his skin and he shivered as her cold hand touched him. Waves of revolution rocketed through him and he fought his gag reflex. Drusilla walked over to the table and picked up a sharp hunting knife. She sliced the end of her finger to test the sharpness. It slid through her skin easily and she sucked the blood off of her forefinger as she advanced on Kurt.

"You've been trying to steal my Noah. Only naughty boys steal and naughty boys need to be taught a lesson."

Fear raced through his veins but Kurt promised himself he wouldn't scream. The blade was so sharp that he didn't feel the first cut. The first thing he felt was the slow slide of blood down his abdomen. It trailed around his belly button and soaked into the waistband of his jeans. He didn't feel the pain until she cut a second strip directly under the first. Pain rocketed through him and he bit his tongue hard to keep from crying out.

Kurt looked longingly at the stairs and hoped that Puck would be on his way soon. His head started to swim again and his eyes crossed as she continued to slice a thin line of shallow cuts across his stomach. He felt his arms give out and he gave into the pain. He gave into the darkness. He gave into her.

Kurt's body slumped forward and Drusilla pouted as her new toy went away. She walked over to the table and picked up a new instrument from her collection of torture devices. She grinned evilly to herself as she ran her fingers over the sharp points of her new toy. She had just the thing to wake the limp body in front of her.

She backhanded Kurt roughly before plunging the spikes into Kurt's side. Kurt jolted awake in shock. As he registered his surroundings for the second time he felt the white hot knife of pain in his side and he did the only thing he could think of.

He screamed.

.

.

Puck wandered around Lima. He wasn't ready to head home and he had promised Kurt the night to himself. He thought about finding someone to eat but then he remembered he was trying to keep his body count to a minimum. He noticed that the butcher shop was still open. He shrugged and thought it might be a good idea to see if he could talk the guy behind the counter into giving him some pig's blood for free.

The store itself was non-description enough but it seemed odd that it was open this late. The guy behind the register leaned over the counter and smirked at him.

"What can I get for you today?"

"Yeah... ummm, you got any pigs blood?"

"Sure do. Whatdya need it for?"

"What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing. Just for a guy like you I might be able to rustle up some otter maybe some elk. They've got a cleaner taste. More organic."

"A guy like me, huh? And what kind of guy is that?"

"Listen dude. I can sense that you're still fairly new so I'll cut you some slack. You veggie vamps come find a guy like me and I give you want you need for a steal. This is a business transaction, okay kid? Can we move this along? I got a couple regulars comin' in tonight and I don't need a new face to spook 'em."

"Wait, there's others? Here in Lima?"

"You guys are everywhere. I don't know why your sire didn't tell you. From the feel of it, she's pretty powerful. Order of Aurelius, right? Pretty heavy stuff."

The guy reached down into the cooler and pulled out a clear plastic bag. He threw it to Puck.

"Take this for now. On the house."

Puck smiled at him and exited the store in a haze. He was halfway down the block before he realized what he had in his hand. He used his fangs to tear into the bag. The blood was good. Nothing like human, nothing like Kurt's but as it slid down his throat, Puck decided he could live with it. If it meant he got to keep Kurt, he could learn to live with it.

He walked down the street and smiled to himself. He had a full belly, a new supplier and the knowledge that he wasn't the only one that didn't want to kill. Things were looking up.

.

.

The house was quiet again but this time the silence seemed sinister. Puck felt his skin prickle and he trained his ear to try and make out any noises. After a few seconds he heard the tiniest of whimpers coming from the basement.

There were too many scents mixing for Puck to pick out one in particular. He just knew that the smell left a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. When he made it to the bottom of the steps he stood frozen in shock.

"Oh sweet prince, do you bring me someone lovely? I was so hoping for something young." Drusilla singsonged. Her brow furrowed as she saw he was empty handed. She walked over to him and tapped him on the forehead. "Bad boy. You should know better than to come to a party without a present. After I brought you such a nice one. I can see what you like about him. He bleeds in ultraviolet and tastes like spice. He's on fire but he's all ice on the outside."

Dru walked back over to Kurt and smiled as he stirred. "Look, he's waking up. Now you can play too."

Kurt raised his head slightly and saw Puck at the bottom of the stairs. His voice was hoarse from screaming but the rough sound of it was enough to propel him into action. "Noah?"

Puck launched himself at Drusilla at tackled her to the ground. They both growled ferociously as they rolled around on the concrete. Kurt recognized that this was his chance. He frantically pulled on his bonds. His hands screaming in protest. He heard the slightest crack in the wood and kept pulling.

Puck landed heavy blows across Drusilla's cheek as his demon screamed at him for betraying his sire like he was. He smelled Kurt's blood thick in the air and it mixed with the scent of Drusilla's arousal in a way that made Puck's blood boil. Kurt was his. He raged at the idea that anyone else had touched him. His demon shouted that Drusilla could always invoke the rights of a sire. Everything that was his belonged to her. That meant that Kurt belonged to her too.

He wouldn't let Kurt be treated like this. The man left in him wouldn't allow himself to give into her. Puck heard a loud crash from the other side of the room. It distracted him enough that Drusilla was able to throw an uppercut to his jaw and he flew back hard into the cement floor. All of a sudden he was back in that room almost three months ago. He was the boy that was in love with someone that was too good for him. He was the boy that loved his mother and sister but never said it enough. He was the boy that would follow a pretty girl into a dark room even though his heart belonged to someone else. Drusilla landed a hard kick to his ribs and he curled into the fetal position. Drusilla kept raining blows down on Puck's still body.

Across the room, Kurt's bindings had given way. He fell straight down onto the table and it broke under his weight. Pain exploded in his side and back. He laid flat on his back and fought for breath. He heard Noah's grunt of pain and did the only thing he could think of.

He reached blindly for a weapon and his hand landed on the leg of the broken table. Kurt pulled himself up and lunged at Drusilla's back. He used all of his strength to stab at Drusilla and he shook as the wood plunged through her back and exited through her chest. She stumbled back slightly before exploding in a shower of dust and ash.

Kurt wobbled on his feet and Puck took a few minutes to come around. As Puck shook the cobwebs out of his head, he realized that Dru was gone. He looked at Kurt with a big smile until he saw it. Kurt swayed slightly.

"Noah, I hurt myself." Kurt said, weakly. His hand gestured to the thick blade sticking out of his side. It must have been thrust through Kurt has he fell. Kurt's breath rattled in his chest and Puck could tell it was too late. Kurt's heartbeat was slowing quickly and he fell to his knees. Puck rushed over to him and pulled him into his arms.

"Kurt, baby, what do you want me to do? Tell me and I'll do it." Puck said, frantically.

"Noah, it _hurts_."

"Baby, I can change you. I can make you like me. Do you wanna be like me? Or I can let you go. Just tell me. If you want me to let you go I will. Fuck, babe it'll kill me but if you want I'll let you go."

Kurt's hands scrambled for grab fistfuls of Puck's shirt. Kurt pulled Puck down into a soft kiss. "Noah, I wanna... I wanna...I wanna stay. _Please let me stay._"

Puck fought to remember what Drusilla had done to him all those months ago as he sunk his teeth into Kurt's neck to draw some blood. He was careful not to take too much as Kurt was loosing a lot of blood as it was. He used his fangs to tear into his own wrist and held it to Kurt's mouth. Kurt's lips formed a seal around the wound and sucked hard. The blood stayed in Kurt's mouth. He kept drawing blood but he couldn't swallow. Puck's hand framed Kurt's jaw and massaged his throat. Trying to get him to swallow. For a few agonizing minutes nothing happened. Kurt lay motionless in Puck's arms. His heart slowing with every beat. Suddenly Kurt gasped loudly and took three large swallows of Puck's blood. Puck felt Kurt's heart slow even further before stopping all together. Puck pulled Kurt into a kiss and started to rock him back and forth.

Puck looked at the shattered remains of the basement. He saw what was left of his sire scattered along the floor. He saw all the different things she had used on Kurt. He saw Kurt's blood staining the edge of every instrument and the splatters of it all over the walls. He saw everything and cried as he clutched Kurt in his arms. He sobbed so hard he wretched. Puck screamed as Kurt's last breath rattled in his throat.

Just like that Kurt was gone.

.

.

Seven hours had passed and Kurt hadn't moved. Puck tried to think about what it was like for him when he first woke up and all he remembered was the disorienting fear when he had woken up alone. Puck was determined that Kurt wouldn't wake up alone. Puck sat vigil at the side of the very bed that he had woken up as a vampire in. He thought he'd done it right but until Kurt woke up he wouldn't know for sure. He ran through all the scenarios in his head and the only thing that seemed like it would work was leaving Lima. Puck had heard Drusilla mention something about a guy named Angel in LA. She said he was part of the family that left. That he had an agency that helps the hopeless or something.

Puck thought that if Kurt woke up, it would be worth a shot. He already had their bags packed and waiting by the front door. The worst that could happen was this Angel guy would turn them away. If that happened, they'd still be in LA. They'd be out of Lima forever. Him and Kurt could send there family postcards saying they were in love and trying to make it in the city. They could make sure their family's hearts weren't broken. If everything went well, they could get a family together. They could live like lovers and they could be together forever.

Puck bit the corner of his thumb nail anxiously. For any of this to work Kurt needed to wake up. He looked as Kurt's still body and prayed that he stirred. Puck had cleaned Kurt up before he brought him to bed. He saw everything that Drusilla had done to Kurt. Puck knew he was lucky if Kurt wasn't gone forever. His body warned him that dawn was approaching. If Kurt didn't wake up, he knew that he would be seeing his last sunset.

Puck crawled into bed beside Kurt and curled into his side. Puck's finger traced the mark he'd left on Kurt's neck. He pressed a soft kiss right above the broken skin. Kurt shifted into the press of his lips and Puck pulled back. Kurt stirred slowly. Almost like he was waking from a sweet dream.

His eyes blinked open slowly and crossed slightly as they tried to focus. Kurt stretched with a small growl and the faintest hint of gold colored his blue eyes. Kurt pulled Puck down into a kiss.

"_Mmmmm, _Good Morning, Noah."

Kurt curled into Puck's side and fell back asleep against Puck's chest.

Kurt was in his arms. Kurt was unbroken. Kurt was his forever.

If he could have all those thing, he didn't really mind giving up the sunshine. If Kurt was there he didn't think he would really mind the darkness.

They were LA bound the minute the sun set. Puck had his man, a plan and fifty bucks. That's all the sunshine a guy like him could ever ask for.


End file.
